


then we shall see each other face to face

by smallredboy



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Abigail Hobbs Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Timeline, Canon-Typical Behavior, Family Dynamics, Gen, Happy Ending, Psychological Trauma, references to drugging and violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24796381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallredboy/pseuds/smallredboy
Summary: Abigail lives, and Alana is interested in taking care of her as life settles down.
Relationships: Alana Bloom & Abigail Hobbs & Margot Verger, Will Graham & Abigail Hobbs & Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17
Collections: Froday Flash Fiction Little & Monthly Specials 2020, Gen Prompt Bingo Round 18





	then we shall see each other face to face

**Author's Note:**

> **fffc's roulette special:** pattern, happy, female, family, 500 minimum wordcount  
>  **fffc's 100th special:** family  
>  **gen prompt bingo:** everything changes
> 
> enjoy!

Alana never thought she'd understand Abigail Hobbs. She thought that she'd never be able to empathize with her, with what she had gone through, her plight and the abuse of her love and trust by the hand of her father (and then, her father _s_ ). She had tried not to see her as a monster, as much as Jack kept implying and pushing that she had killed Nick Boyle.

When she lived past Hannibal's attempt on her life, she talked. It took months, but she ended up talking.

"I am not a monster, Agent Crawford," she had told him, knuckles whitening with the force she was clenching her fists. "I knew what my father was doing, I _helped_ him do it, but it was either them or _me_. We all have survival instincts. When it started I was seventeen. I loved my father. He abused my love for him and made me be the bait. I am just as much a victim of him as every other one of his victims is."

"His other victims didn't murder anyone," Jack pointed out, voice cold as ice.

"His other victims didn't have a hunting knife on their hand when a man _came into_ their home and pushed them against a wall when they tried to run, Agent Crawford," she said.

"Why should I believe that is what happened?"

"Because I have no reason to _lie_ ," she spat out. "My whole family is dead. Will Graham is still in intensive care and Hannibal Lecter is off somewhere in Europe. I gain _nothing_ out of lying to you. I have no money to my name, everything drenched right out of my savings by the other victims' families. Prison would be a _luxury_ for me."

Jack let out a shaky sigh, and Alana kept watching and watching and watching from the other side of the glass.

"What did Hannibal Lecter do to you, Abigail?"

"Well," she started. "I agreed to the ear part. Because I knew otherwise it'd be my real death." She fiddled with the scar tissue on the side of her head. "I was kept in his basement until I saw Beverly Katz's death unfold in front of me. Then he changed plans and moved me into another place. He kept the doors locked religiously, and there were no electronics. But apart from that it was a beautiful house… it was by a cliff. I have no idea how close or how far from Quantico it is."

"Why not?"

"His car windows were tinted," she replied. "And besides, any trips involved me getting sedated. I assume to not tell you where the house in question was, if I were to live."

Jack huffed. "What happened during that night, right before everything started?"

"He told me that… Will had betrayed him. So he had to pull, ah, what did he call them? Some _extreme measures_. And that if Dr. Bloom was to be anywhere close to a window… that I was to push her out of it."

"And you obeyed?"

"Of course I obeyed," she said, standing, as much as the handcuffs keep her mostly on the spot. "Of course I obeyed, Agent Crawford. I was under his grip! I was under his grip for months on end, he brainwashed me, he did all he could to make sure I obeyed him, that I followed him like a lost dog — Miriam Lass went through similar things and I don't see you accusing her of being a monster. Maybe if she had killed someone you would."

"Miriam Lass' case is far different from your own," he said.

"Sure is," she replied. "I wasn't put on a hole, waiting to be found. "

"Did he say anything about slitting your throat?"

"Just… about the _extreme measures_. That we were supposed to leave together, all three of us. Our family. But that with Will's betrayal, something else had to happen. He didn't specify until after he stabbed Will, when he told me to come there. And then I understood." Her bravado slowly faded out, and her bottom lip started to quiver. "I understood then. He had said a while back that if he were to kill me he would do it the same way my father tried to. And he put his hand on my shoulder, and I could hear Will begging for him not to do it, and—" Her voice broke.

"Enough, Jack," Alana said over the glass.

"Yeah," he agreed, a lot less angry and a lot less blaming than before. "Yeah, that's enough."

She could empathize with her when she saw her, there, shaking, tears in her eyes as she apologized right before throwing her out of a window. As much as she now had a limp, she couldn't be angry at Abigail. She could only be angry at the situation that had put her in this place.

* * *

There is a pattern to Abigail's life — of the abuse of trust by her parental figures — and Alana is determined to break it.

When Abigail manages to get out, free and safe, she immediately takes up to the opportunity. Abigail's eyes are shifty, unsure as she talks to her, trying to gauge her real intentions behind every word.

"You'll be safe with me and Margot," she says. "There won't be anything like what you've gone through. We have to deal with Margot's brother, but… I feel like he'll be gone sooner than later."

"Why should I believe you?" Abigail says.

"Because I am not your father," she replies. "Neither of them. I am different, and you know you can trust me. There will be no… no _people_ in our food, there will only be love in it. I promise."

Abigail smiles at her. It's a sad, broken smile. "What else is there for me to lose?" she asks.

* * *

Life with Alana and Margot is easier, Abigail finds.

She had expected it all to be a sick joke from the universe, for Alana to bring a corpse through the front porch, for Margot to smile as she told her who the food was made of. But no. It's fine — it's good. It's almost _normal_ , except for the pigs and Mason Verger taking a keen interest on her. But he's stuck to a wheelchair, so he can't exactly touch her.

When Hannibal and Will are captured, she comes see them. The way they've put Hannibal is grotesque — like a pig for the slaughter. She knows he won't make it that far before Alana and Margot free him.

"Hello, Hannibal," she says, kneeling in front of his cage.

"You're alive," he says.

"It was not part of your plan?" she asks, smiling.

"No," he says. "You were supposed to die in my kitchen."

"Well, clearly you miscalculated the slice," she says. "Alana and Margot have custody now, Hannibal, but I'm sure they can let you in on a visit when you're out of here."

"You think I'm going to get out of here, Abigail?"

"I'm positive," she says. "There's no reason why you wouldn't. Alana and Margot are more worried about killing Mason than about you losing your life the way you would here. Alana wants you imprisoned, not dead and in her stomach."

He smiles. "You're not keen on calling them your mothers yet, are you?"

"I barely called you dad once or twice," she says. "Calling them by what they are now takes a while."

"Of course." He hums. "Good luck out there, Abigail. I hope you're eating well."

She stands and gives him a stiff smile. "By your standards, I am not."

* * *

Abigail lets out a shaky sigh and looks at Margot. "Mama. I'd like to… to go see Will. I hear he's married now."

"He is," she replies, fingers threading through her hair. "He's tried to pull as far away from… all this as possible. I don't know if he'll be open to seeing you, but I'll call."

A few days later, Abigail ends up in Will's cabin, looking at his stepson uncomfortably. She feels like she's intruding, but she knows that's just her making stuff up.

"I've missed you, Abigail," Will says, leaning in to hug her. He turns to Wally and gives him a stiff smile. "Hey, Walter. This is my, um, surrogate daughter, Abigail. I was her legal guardian once upon a time, but she's twenty-two now, so. Not really now. Still part of the family, though."

She's twice this kid's age. That fact looms over her as she looks at him. He's so undamaged, so… so _good_. It hurts to look at.

"Hey, Wally, it's a pleasure to meet you," she says.

"Hi," he says quietly, fiddling with his sleeve. "It's a pleasure to meet you too." He swallows. "I'm gonna go see what mom's cooking."

"Of course," Will says, sounding a bit defeated. He leads Abigail off to the living room and settles on the couch, where she sits down too. He turns the TV on, mostly for background noise. 

"How… how have you been?"

"Dealing," she replies. "It's weird, to be in… a happy family, you know? Like, Alana and Margot and Morgan really are the _real deal_. There's no… there's nothing. There's no murder or cannibalism or brainwashing. They're just happy and they just care about me. It's strange."

"Yeah, I can certainly relate," Will says lightly. "With Molly, I mean. Being happy's weird. Feels like a trap, somehow."

"It's not," Abigail says. "We're happy now. Hannibal is out of our lives, and that's how it should stay. We're good now that he's out of the picture."

"Yeah," Will agrees. "I'm glad Margot called. I was too anxious to call her or Alana, ask if I could see you."

"I missed you. I'll come see you more often."

He smiles and leans in to kiss her forehead. "Of course," he says. "You're welcome at my home any time, Abigail."

Abigail knows he means it, and she's filled with the knowledge that she is loved, without questions and without harm in the way.


End file.
